Heffernan collects gold medal in Moscow

Rob Heffernan held it together admirably as Amhrán na BhFiann rang out at the World Athletics Championships for just the third time ever this evening.

As the Corkman stood atop the podium, having received his gold medal for his stunning win in the 50km walk in Moscow yesterday, a broad smile crept across his face as he officially joined fellow world champions Eamonn Coghlan and Sonia O'Sullivan in the history books.

Prior to collecting his medal the Irishman, and O’Sullivan, spoke to the Second Captains team at the Irish Times.

The 36-year-old and his fellow Cork native, the 5000m world champion from Gothenburg in 1995, reiterated their calls for Irish athletes to strive for something more than “pats on the back”.

“People get so much credit at home, ‘aw, he trained, he trained twice a day’,” said Heffernan. “All top-class athletes train twice a day.

“Nobody deserves, you don’t deserve to win a medal ... you have to go out and you have to win it, you have to put in the work.

"There're people in all of the other countries, in Europe, Australia and America, and it's their job. You just need to get on with it. And you need to be talented, as well, on top of it."

O’Sullivan, who was recently critical of Irish athletes merely satisfied with getting to the Olympics, agreed: “The most important lesson is, if you work hard then you will be rewarded.”

She added: “You have to go out there and you have to go for it. A lot of people are afraid to take that big leap of faith and do things a little bit differently.

“You just have to learn how to be the best ... if you train hard, then the races are easy.”